Chapter 4 ALERA

The precinct doors clang shut behind me, and the antiseptic smell hits me immediately. My hair is a mess, my eyes still red and my face puffy from crying all the way here. I ignore the stares of the few people waiting in line. Manhattan doesn't care about anyone's tears.

At the front desk, a young officer barely looks up from her screen.

"Can I help you?" she asks in a clipped voice.

"Yes," I respond tightly. "I...I want to file a report. Sexual assault."

Her brow raises. "Excuse me?"

"Sexual assault," I repeat, louder. "I was kissed...against my will. And I need it documented."

The officer glances behind her at a male cop, probably older, leaning lazily against the wall. He grins, smirking. "You're telling me someone kissed you?"

"Yes," I snap. "It was without my consent. I tried to push him away." I wince inwardly at the balant lie, because I well enjoyed the kiss. But I continue. "And I need this on record."

The man let's out a short and unpleasant laugh. "Wait...wait, wait. Hold up. You're serious? You want to report a kiss."

I blink back tears. "Yes."

"And who's this... offender?"

"Dante Moretti," I spit out, unable to keep the bitterness out of my voice.

"Which Dante Moretti? There are lots of Dante's in this city kid."

"The billionaire Dante Moretti." I explain.

The smirk grows. He whistles softly. "Ohhh... that Dante Moretti. The golden boy of New York. Wait a sec....why are you here to complain. That isn't an easy man to bag. You're not a little excited about it?"

I almost gag. "Excited? Are you insane?"

He leans forward with elbows on the desk, grinning. "Come on. A billionaire, right there in front of you, kissing you in public... I mean, yeah. That's gotta count for something."

My jaw tightens. "It counts for nothing. It was wrong. It was assault. I want to file a report, and I want it taken seriously."

He chuckles. "Seriously? You're trying to press charges against the most powerful man in the city because of a kiss?"

"Yes," I hiss. "Because it was without my consent. He...he manipulated me and tried to make it seem like it didn't happen. That's a crime, and someone has to hold him accountable."

The officer behind the desk exhales, glancing at him like she's mortified. "Maybe... let her talk?" she murmurs.

He waves her off. "Fine. Start from the beginning. Time, place and witnesses. Make sure you're saying the truth."

I grit my teeth. "I saw him outside Moretti Towers. He grabbed my hair, held my face and kissed me suddenly and I tried to push away. There were witnesses. A lot of people saw it happen."

He raises a brow. "Witnesses huh, so where are these people?"

"I don't know!" I almost scream.

"So let me get it straight, you just see him outside his building, and he walks over to you and kisses you? Unwarranted?"

Listening to him basically repeat everything back to me right now, it's sounds crazy. I shouldn't have even come here. What a joke.

"That's what happened." I reply in a small voice.

He leans back in his chair, smirking. "Classic. And now you expect us to, what? Arrest him? Confiscate his car?"

I shake my head. "No! I want it on record. That's it."

He tilts his head. "Hmm. Public figure, huh? People like him don't usually get arrested for public kissing. You got lucky he didn't press charges against you for the scene you made...cause I know you did something...what took you there? You and employee of his?"

My hands clench into fists. "No. And that's not the point. I was violated, against my will, in public. This is about doing the right thing. It's about him taking accountability. Who knows the number of women he's assaulted like that?"

He laughs. "Accountability? Really? You think a billionaire is going to jail for kissing you in the street?"

"Yes!" I spit, in trembling voice. I already knew this won't go anywhere. But at least, I expected some civility?

He smirks and shakes his head. "You're cute, you know that? You actually think anyone is going to take this seriously. You wanted Dante Moretti to kiss you, didn't you?"

Heat rises in my chest. "I did not! why would you say that?"

The woman at the desk bites her lip, looking uncomfortable. "Sir... maybe just let her finish?"

He shrugs. "Fine. Start from the beginning. And keep it short. I'm curious how this ends."

I grit my teeth and repeat my entire ordeal, again and again and again.

Sometimes he'll stop me half way, leave for some 20 minutes, return and I'll have to repeat.

The last time I'm recounting the story, he scribbles something lazily on his pad. "Yeah, yeah. Sure. Well... good luck with that. Not much we can do for public kisses from billionaires, you know."

My fists shake. "You are a horrible person." I shiver as tears slip down my eyes.

He shrugs. "Yeah yeah, head that. File your little report. But don't kid yourself, it's going to go nowhere."

The clerk passes me a form. I read it carefully with hands shaking and pen trembling, I swear that everything I've said is true. Then I sign it.

I feel... deflated. Not vindicated. Not safe. Just... tired and frustrated. My anger hasn't faded. But at least I took a step.

When I stand to leave, he snorts. "Good luck getting him to pay for that kiss. Really."

I glare. "Is that what you think? That I want money? That's not it Mr."

He just smirks, unconcerned. "Yeah, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

I spin on my heel and step into the chaos of Manhattan.

Well, that was completely pointless. I wipe my eyes. Who knows, they might burn up my statement and it'll be forgotten.

Or what if I've actually made things worse for myself?